On this post I will highlight the best things to see and best things to do in just half a day in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain and half a day in Seville.
We checked out of Hotel Boutique Convento Cádiz (see my posts Cádiz Day 1 and Day 2) and left “Cádiz” after breakfast via “Puente de la Constitución de 1812” (Constitution Bridge of 1812) in the direction of “Jerez de la Frontera” which is only about 30 minutes by car.
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Where is Jerez de la Frontera? Below is a map showing Jerez location and the places we visited or passed by while in Jerez:
The bridge is modern and beautiful, also known as “La Pepa Bridge”, that crosses the “Bay of Cádiz” and links it to mainland Spain. It is one of the highest bridges in Europe at 69 meters high and 5 kilometres long. It was completed in 2015 after a delay of three years. Impressive engineering work.
There is a video of us crossing the bridge on The Travelling Surveyor Instagram account below.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA
“Jerez” has been long known as a wine growing region and the wine industry is the main drive of the economy in the area.
“Jerez” means sherry in English and that is the main wine produced locally.
It is considered the capital of the world for sherry production, and it is home for many “bodegas” (wineries) some of British origins. The perfect place for a visit for wine lovers.
“Jerez” is also home of the Andalusian horse breed and the “Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art” and is at the same level as the “Spanish Riding School of Vienna”.
If you have time, you should see a horse show that showcases the traditional dancing horses during your visit.
You can book a dancing horse show at The Royal School HERE.
In May they hold the “Feria del Caballo” (Horse Fair) which is the most important festival in Andalusia. It lasts a week and riders parade the horses around the fairground in traditional attire.
The town is also the birthplace of Flamenco, producing famous singers such as Lola Flores and José Mercé.
The “Festival of Jerez” takes place in February every year when flamenco artists get together and perform live shows.
“Jerez” has also been the host of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing since 1987, held in the “Circuito de Jerez” which also hosted the F1 Spanish Grand Prix.
VISITING JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA
On arrival, we parked in a car parking at the historic centre and walked around the centre of town. We went all the way down “Calle Larga”, a pedestrianised shopping street right in the middle of town.
We passed the beautiful, rounded building “El Gallo Azul” (The Blue Cockerel) that was designed by Anibal Gonzáles, the same architect that designed the “Plaza de España” in Seville.
You can have a Historic Centre Guided Tour of “Jerez de La Frontera” that lasts 2 hours by booking it HERE.
We continued in the direction of “Plaza del Arenal” where the Tourist Office is based. We took a map at the tourist office and studied the plan of the town deciding where to go next.
We had tickets booked for a Sherry Tasting Tour of “Bodegas González Byass” (Tio Pepe) at 12:30, and we didn’t have much time left, so decided to walk in the direction of the “Alcázar de Jerez” and the “Jerez Cathedral”.
Both are close to the Gonzalez Byass winery that we were due to attend for the tour.
We did not have enough time to visit inside the Alcázar or the Cathedral, so just saw them from the outside and soon it was time to head to the winery tour.
You can book a ticket and an Audio guide of the cathedral HERE.
On arrival we waited in a large, typically decorated waiting room, until it was time to start. We then walked to a small train that drove us through the winery itself and various places in the huge estate.
After the train tour we entered the bodegas on foot, and we were guided to various rooms where the sherry oak barrels are stored to age.
The tour at the winery was very enjoyable and “Bodegas Gonzalez Byass” seems to be the best of all bodegas around town.
You learn the history of the wine, how they produce various wines such as the “Palo Fino”, “Amontilado”, “Oloroso” etc. It is a rich visit in terms of learning and the whole tour was delightful. In the end you have a taste of the different wines on offer. All are just gorgeous!
While still inside the bodega, don’t miss “Calle Ciegos” that is considered one of the most beautiful streets in Spain. You can only see it if you are in one of their tours, because the bodega absorbed the street as part of their estate.
You can book a 1.5 hour Sherry Winery and Tasting Tour to Bodegas Gonzalez Byass (Tio Pepe) HERE or for the other Bodegas HERE.
Once we finished the tour, we headed back to the town and chose to have a quick lunch in one of the “tabancos”.
These are small taverns originating in the 17th century and now scattered all around town; they serve tapas and quick lunches, and some of them also offer flamenco shows. The one we went to didn’t have a flamenco show but we had lovely sandwiches in there.
We didn’t have much time to spend in “Jerez” in our itinerary, so after lunch we decided to take the car and drive to “Seville” which was about 1 hour and a quarter from “Jerez de La Frontera”.
SEVILLE
We arrived in “Seville” just before 4 pm, parked in a car park close to the hotel and checked-in at Hotel Derby at Plaza del Duque de la Victoria, in front of the famous “El Corte Inglés” department store.
It was a very nice hotel, and we were very pleased with our room.
Below is a map showing the places we visited when we arrived in Seville:
Most attractions are open until late at this time of the year, so we decided to walk to “Palacio de las Dueñas”, which was about 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel.
On the way to the palace, we passed in front of the “Metropol Parasol”, also known as “Setas de Sevilla” or “Mushrooms of Sevilla”.
It is a large wood structure that accommodates a market, restaurants, a square and a museum, as well as a roof terrace with panoramic views of the city.
“Las Dueñas Palace” was built between the 15th and 16th centuries in a Renaissance, Gothic and Moorish style. Initially the house of one of the dynasties of the patricians of Seville, the palace was passed through to multiple generations.
“Las Dueñas” eventually passed to the Duke of Alba (through marriage) and is now known as “Casa de Alba.”
This palace is delightful with a façade covered in bougainvillea and a courtyard garden full of exotic plants, tiled paths, and a central fountain.
The interior is lavish with vaulted ceilings decorated in gold “alfarje” (decorated timber). We were very impressed by “Palacio de las Dueñas”; it was much more than what we were expecting.
You can book a ticket to Palacio de las Duñas with an audio guide HERE.
After visiting the palace, we went back to the hotel for some rest and a quick shower as we had a restaurant booked for 8 pm on that evening. It was “El Riconcillo” restaurant that had very good reviews and famous for being a traditional place for Andalusian Cuisine.
We arrived at the restaurant 10 minutes before our booking to find its doors closed, but a long queue was already forming. We than realised the restaurant didn’t start operating until 8 pm.
The queue was getting bigger very fast and by the time the restaurant opened it was already turning the corner.
“El Riconcillo” is split as a tapas bar downstairs and the restaurant upstairs, so we headed upstairs to a very authentic and austere Spanish style dining room.
However, the food didn’t meet our expectations; very bland and tasteless and the service was not great either. Thankfully the wine we selected was very good and saved the night.
I could not understand how there were so many good reviews about this place and can only assume the good reviews were for the bar downstairs (that was packed) and not for the restaurant.
We walked back to our hotel passing in front of the “Metropol Parasol” again and had a restful and sound night sleep.
Next day was dedicated to exploring the rest of “Seville”.
I hope this post gives you an idea of what can be done in one day visiting both cities and helps you to plan your own itinerary to Jerez de la Frontera and Seville.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat in Jerez de la Frontera. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
£ – Cheap
THINGS TO DO IN JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA
ATTRACTIONS
1 – Walk in the centre of town – ***
2 – Alcazar de Jerez
3 – Jerez Cathedral
4 – Bodegas Gonzalez Byass and Calle Ciegos- ***
5 – “Tabancos” – ***
6 – Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian– Dancing horses shows
7 – Feria del Caballo – In May
8 – Festival of Jerez (Flamenco) – In February
WHERE TO STAY IN JEREZ
HOTELS
1 – Hotel Casa Palacio Maria Luisa – 5* – £££
2 – Barceló Montecastllo Golf – 5* – £££
3 – Hotel Palacio Garvey – 4* – ££
4 – Hotel Bodega Tio Pepe – 4* – ££
5 – Hotel Doña Blanca – 3 * – ££
6 – Eva recommends Francos – 2 bed flat – 3* – ££
If you prefer to look for your own accommodation just search and book via the widget below:
WHERE TO EAT IN JEREZ
RESTAURANTS
1 – A Mar Restaurant – £££
2 – Restaurant Albores – £££
3 – Mesón Hermanos Carrasco – ££
4 – Tabanco El Pasaje – £
5 – Tabanco Rio Viejo – £
6 – Restaurant Bambú Jerez – £
If you tried any of my recommendations above, please send me a message and tell me about your experience good or bad, so I can update the list accordingly. Thanks!
If you enjoyed reading this post you might also like to read:
On this trip:
1 – Experience Gibraltar – Day 1
2 – Experiencing Gibraltar – Day 2
3 – Cádiz, The Jewel of Andalusia, Spain – How to spend Day 1
4 – Cádiz, The Jewel of Andalusia, Spain – How to spend Day 2
5 – How to Explore Jerez de la Frontera and Seville – Day 1
6 – Seville – Day 2
7 – Córdoba
8 – Granada – Day 1
9 – Granada – Day 2
10 – Setenil de las Bodegas and Ronda
10 – Marbella
11 – Gibraltar – Day 3
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